American mom posted eerie warning about robberies in Ecuador before she was killed

An American mother who was killed during a home invasion at her farm in Ecuador warned others about the threat of violent robberies in the Central American country just years before she fell victim to one.  

Francesca Williams, 44, spent nearly a decade living in the Ecuadorian countryside in Vilcabamba with her husband Michael and their three teenage daughters. 

But their 'humble Shangri-La' life came crashing down on May 20 when a gang of men approached their secluded home and murdered Francesca as she hung laundry. 

It was a risk she warned other potential ex-pats about - and three years ago, California-born Francesca admitted she was acutely aware of the danger. 

On the knowledge-sharing website Quora, Francesca wrote about the stereotypes of living in Ecuador and the threats that come with moving to the country - including expressing worries about her or her daughters being sexually abused.

She said she lived 'in constant awareness' that she could be victim to a home invasion robbery, admitting she would not have relocated to Ecuador with her family if she knew how 'close to home' the violent invasions would be. 

Unfortunately, her family did indeed fall victim to one. 

Francesca Williams, 44, warned other foreigners about the threat of home invasions - just years before she fell victim to one herself. She is pictured here with her husband Michael

Francesca and Michael pose with their three daughters, Rebekah, 19, Rachel, 17, Renee, 14, and Francesca's father John. All six were at the home when the robbers arrived

Francesca often shared advice to other potential ex-pats wanting to move to Ecuador - and in one post from three years ago, she admitted she wouldn't have moved to South America if she knew how common and close to home the violent robberies were

In the post from 2020, she wrote: 'Another stereotype was that we were at a high risk of home invasion robberies. We have not experienced this as of yet, but live in constant awareness of this danger. 

'I know many, many foreigners who have experienced home invasion robberies and I would not have come here if I had any idea of how close to home such attacks would be. 

'It is essential that one have intimidating dogs and bars on one’s windows.'

She often posted to give people advice if they were thinking of moving to the South American country, and expressed her happiness at leaving the 'rat race' in the US. 

Williams wrote: 'If you come, you will not return to the U.S. the person you were when you left. That is the biggest reason to come, actually. 

'I miss the U.S., but now that I have left the rat race, the idea of going back isn’t that appealing.' 

Francesca was shot in the back as the assailants tied down and beat up her husband, stabbed her father, and terrorized her three young daughters before rummaging through their home.

Their humble home - where the Williams family raised chickens, goats, pigs and horses after moving from the States in 2014 - was turned into a bloodbath during the fatal, violent raid on May 20. 

Francesca and Michael practiced sustainable farming, and often posted images online of their doting animals, sweeping landscape views, and happy rural life. 

The five surviving family members are now moving back to Colorado in the aftermath of the invasion at their idyllic, rural farm in Vilcabamba, Ecuador. 

Williams, a published author who spoke four different languages, shared her opinions and advice on the internet. She died in the home invasion on May 20

California-born mother-of-three Francesca, 44, was shot in the back as the assailants tied down and beat up her husband, stabbed her father, and terrorized her three young daughters before rummaging through their home

Francesca's three daughters Rebekah, 19, Rachel, 17, Renee, 14, were all at the property when the ambush started and witnessed the attack on their grandfather, mother, and father

A picture of Francesca Williams from 2016 tending to her many animals at her idyllic home she built in Ecuador with her husband 

The UC San Diego graduate was hanging laundry outside her tranquil farm home in the South American countryside when the gang started to approach their property.

Francesca saw her disabled father John, 65, whom she cared for, was being attacked by the men - so she rushed down to save him.

The men stabbed John multiple times and then turned their attention to his daughter Francesca, gunning her down.

Her three daughters Rebekah, 19, Rachel, 17, Renee, 14, were all at home when the ambush started and witnessed the attack on their grandfather, mother, and father.

Rachel heard gunshots and immediately shut their front door, but the men made their way inside and forced her and Renee to direct them during the pillage.

Rebekah was in her yurt, an outdoor-living tent, when the commotion kicked off - and rushed into the jungle before running to nearby neighbors to seek help. 

Their father Michael, meanwhile, was bound and beaten unconscious by the men. 

It was only after they fled with the family's possessions and belongings - including iPads, money, and computers - that he escaped and went searching for his wife, Francesca, and his eldest daughter Rebekah. 

The mom-of-three was found on the land, bleeding out from her bullet wound, which hit near her heart. They scrambled to carry her body to their car and drove to get medical attention, but it was too late. 

Francesca, a multi-lingual published author and illustrator, was also a carer for her disabled father. Tributes have flooded in for the beloved mother. 

No one is in custody but an investigation is ongoing.  

The U.S. State Department said in a statement: 'We offer our sincerest condolences to the family on their loss. We are in contact with the family and are providing all appropriate consular assistance. 

'We refer you to the government of Ecuador for information regarding any local investigation. Out of respect to the family during this difficult time, we have no further comment.' 

The view of the family's rural home in Vilcabamba, Ecuador

Francesca, from Poway, California, lived in Colorado before moving to Ecuador with her family. But they experienced a terrifying break in, in which Francesca was shot dead 

Francesca , her husband Michael, and their three daughters Rachel, Renee and Rebekah. They all lived at the farm in Vilcabamba, Ecuador

Michael told KDVR: 'We need to navigate this grief we are about to go through. There are a ton of different stages of this right now, we’re on a heightened level of anxiousness and security because we aren’t in a safe place.

'We never would have imagined people were staking us out.

'We are so far removed. It’s a three-kilometer drive to and from. And to hike and in and out, it’s incomprehensible.'

Michael was outside when he felt like he was hit in the head with a brick  - and then Rachel, one Francesca's daughter, saw her grandpa on the floor with strange men, fighting them off.

She then heard gunshots. The men made their way into the home ordering her and her other sister Renee around - asking in Spanish where the 'large aunt' was.

Rachel said that was when she realized they may have had the wrong home, because no one matching that description had ever been at their property.

Francesca , from Poway, California,  graduated from Poway High School and UCSD with a BA in Linguistics.

Francesca was killed, while her husband and father (pictured) were beaten and stabbed during the ordeal. The daughters were physically unharmed but endured the horrific home raid

Michael said: 'I found my wife and she had been killed. We ran down the hill and into our car and took her to emergency services, but it was too late for her.' 

Speaking about how Francesca was doing all she could to help her family when the robbers arrived, Michael said: 'I think they saw Francesca as a threat and she was physically capable of handling that man. 

'I think things could have been a lot worse if she didn’t interfere. She probably did her best to make sure we were all alright.' 

Marianna Bacilla, Francesca's adoptive mom who lives in Poway, California, launched a fundraising page for her daughter in the wake of the tragedy. 

Francesca often shared images of her scenic life in Ecuador. It's unclear if this is her farm pictured

Francesca (left) pictured with one of her daughters

The GoFundMe read: 'On Saturday night, May 20th, my daughter Francesca Williams was killed in a home invasion robbery at her farm in Ecuador. 

'My three granddaughters are physically unharmed, but the trauma is immeasurable. My son-in-law, Michael, was badly battered. 

'Francesca‘s birth father, John, whom she’d been caring for, was stabbed multiple times. Both Michael and John are out of the hospital and are going to be okay, physically. 

'They all endured horrendous trauma. Their Ecuadorian community is fully embracing them - taking care of them until they all fly home to the U.S. at the end of May. 

'We are working with the U.S. consulate in Ecuador to help return Francesca’s body to the United States.

Writing about her daughter, she wrote: 'Francesca was the light of our life. She was a devoted wife and mother of three beautiful daughters. She graduated from Poway High School and UCSD with a BA in Linguistics. 

'She was fluent in French, Spanish and Lithuanian. She was a translator and an avid writer and illustrator who had published her first book, “The King’s Magic”. In the small town of Vilcabamba, Ecuador, Francesca’s family lived on a small farm they were building themselves, raising chickens, goats, horses, pigs, ducks and guinea fowl, working toward a goal of sustainable farming. - It was their humble Shangri-La.

'Her family will be returning to their home in Colorado. Francesca will be buried in the Riverside Cemetery in Kremmling, CO. 

'She will be buried next to my sister Stephanie, Francesca‘s biological mother who died in 2021, shortly after Mark, my late husband.

'Thank you for understanding the need to share my heart and my pain with you. We appreciate your support.'